Research notes
How do we build a future people actually belong to?
- Idea or practice
- Online first: people gather around a shared purpose and cooperate voluntarily.
- What sources support
- Balaji Srinivasan’s The Network State proposes starting online; this is the author’s proposal, not an observed result.
- What remains unknown
- Whether online agreement becomes lasting cooperation, and how dissent and inclusion are protected, is unknown.
- Idea or practice
- Trust is built through in-person gatherings before any physical infrastructure.
- What sources support
- The author describes meeting in person as a step before building.
- What remains unknown
- Which gatherings build trust, and how newcomers and existing neighbours take part, remains open.
- Idea or practice
- Real collective action and transparent decision rights, not only a social feed.
- What sources support
- The author argues that a community should act together, not just talk.
- What remains unknown
- How to prevent governance capture, keep decisions democratically accountable, guarantee voluntary exit and keep funding transparent is unresolved.
- Idea or practice
- A network of separate places that collaborate without any claim to sovereignty.
- What sources support
- The author describes linked places as part of a larger plan; we explore only collaboration under local law.
- What remains unknown
- Land rights, local law, environmental stewardship and fair relations with neighbours would need study at every site.
- Idea or practice
- The complete concept goes further: cryptocurrency, highly aligned membership, territorial acquisition and diplomatic recognition.
- What sources support
- TJHO does not endorse or assume any of these. Financial Times reporting describes legal and local tensions around projects inspired by the idea.
- What remains unknown
- Practical evidence on how such communities fare over time is still limited.
A question to test in Cañas
Could we compare online collaboration, small in-person gatherings and real shared projects by the mutual trust and practical contributions each produces?
Where to next?
Shared decisions explores accountable decision rights and safeguards.